Product for cleansing the skin



Patented Mar. 16, 1926.-

UNITED. STATES 1,576,774 PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE MCGRAW, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE OAKLAND CHEMICAL COM- PANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

PRODUCT FOR CLEANSING THE SKIN.

No Drawing.

To all whom, it may concern I Be it known that I, Gnoncn LIOGRAVV, a citizen of the United States, residing at 2366 Grand Concourse, in the borough of Bronx, city of New York, county and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Product for Cleansing the Skin, Consisting of a Combination of Peroxide of Hydrogen and a Vegetable Flour, Preferably Barley Flour.

Peroxide of hydrogen, as is well known, contains an atom of oxygen loosely associated, so that under certain conditions this oxygen may be set free and united in the process of oxidation with substances with which it may come in contact. The oxygen so set free assumes a very active condition, much more active, for instance, than the oxygen of the air. It acts rapidly on disease germs, destroys germ poisons, and has a cleansing effect. It is this characteristic of active oxygen that makes hydrogen peroxide the useful and valuable product that it is. Hydrogen peroxide, by virtue of the activity of the loosely associated atom of oxygen thus set free, when applied to the skin clears out the pores. It is quite possible to see the slight bubbles when a drop or more is put on the skin. These fine bubbles appear over the pores and are caused by-the oxygen sep arating from the peroxide and seeking a union with the secretions or accumulations of foreign matter in the pores. There is a certain absorption, as for instance, in the case of contusion; if hydrogen peroxide is immediately applied there will be no blackening. The discoloration that occurs in the case of a contusion is due to the accumulation of venous blood'caused by injured blood vessels and interferences with the circulation. The oxygen in this case acts to stimulate the production of arterial blood, thereby preventing the stagnation which would otherwise produce discoloration and sometimes abscesses, and other evidence of tissue injury.

Hydrogen peroxide is especially valuable as a face wash, but in its normal state it is difiicult to bring it in prolonged contact with the skin and an innocuous medium is required by which a prolonged contact may be obtained without disturbing influences which would interfere with the action of the oxygen and which may have an irritating influence on the skin in presence of the peroxide. Its action 111 the case of a prolonged Application filed August 20, 1923. Serial No. 658,251.

contact with the skin is stimulating. It cleans out the pores, a certain amount of it is absorbed, and it has the effect of producmg a very fresh, healthy condition and appearance of the skin.

The object of m invention, therefore, is to provide a suitab e medium or carrier that will combine with the hydrogen peroxide without decomposing it or interfering with its function, and that Will serve as a medium for keeping thehydrogen peroxide in prolonged contact with the face so that it will not irritate the skin and that can be easily and quickly washed. off.

Another object of my invention is to provide a suitable substance or carrier that will eliminate the unpleasant and astringent effect of an application of the liquid hydro-'" gen eroxide to the face by serving as an amehorating or distributing agent for it, and which in itself will be a pleasant and agreeable facial preparation.

After many experiments with clays and certain mineral substances, it has been found that some of the cereals, when finely powdered, performed this function well. They do not decompose the hydrogen peroxide of themselves; that is to say, a mixture of barley flour or certain other vegetable flour in a solution of hydrogen peroxide does not affect it at all. The vegetable flour remains there as an inert substance.

When a paste of the proper consistency is prepared with hydrogen peroxide and a cereal flour, it is applied to the face with a brush and allowed to dry. The loosely as-' sociated atom of the oxygen is then freed with the following results. During thls process a certain amount of oxygen is absorbed into the skin, a certain amount is used in its cleansing work and a certain amount is lost by evaporation in the air. After the application has dried there is no peroxide of hydrogen left and there are no irritating residues left to affect the skin; the dried vegetable flour or meal is washed off with warm Water and the effect produced is decidedly beneficial both as to feeling, appearance and conditions of the skin. 7

The particular advantage over other preparations, so-called beauty applications, that the present composition has lies in the fact that most, if not all, of these other prepara'tions, being largely a combination of clay and a solution of drugs and chemlcals,

act as astringents and irritants. The vegetable flour obviates any unpleasant efiect. It enters into no chemical reaction with the hydrogen peroxide. It is merelyja carrier, which allows for the free action of .the oxygen and by eliminating all the disturbin influences possible in combinations of this class makes possible the full beneficial action. which is obtained when the oxygen is brought in contact with human tissue.

The present invention, it may likewise be observed, obviates all the detrimental effect that might come from the use of a mucila inous combination. It is free from a l greasy, oily substances, from metallic or earthy bases and there are likewise no irritating residues which later on cause hardening and withering of the skin itself. It is soluble and easily Washed off, whereas mineral substances, like sulphate of calcium or other chemicals used in certain face or toilet preparations are insoluble, and if the very fine particles become incorporated into the skin they cannot be removed and remain there as irritants, acting with a clog in influence, for an thing of this'kind wiicfi interferes with t e activity of the pores of the skin also interferes with natural skin processes.

In making this product it is desirable to use a highly purified form of hydrogen peroxide, however similar results might be obtained with various solutions of hydrogeneroxide and a mixture of a vegetable flour in the class described above.

Having thus described my invention, what I now claim and desire toprotect by Letters Patent is as follows:

A cosmetic paste for external use, comprising a. mixture of hydrogen peroxide and a vegetable flour.

This specification signed this 9th day of August, 1923.

GEORGE McG RAW. 

